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Athletes in HHS cheerleading, girls’ basketball, boys’ basketball and wrestling programs, as well as Holyoke swimmers on the Sterling girls’ swim team were recognized Sunday, March 29 for their participation in the 2008-09 winter sports season. Sports participants and their families enjoyed a meal prior to the evening program. Booster Club president Casey Gerk emceed the awards program and presented four plaques of appreciation. They were awarded to Seaboard Foods for the meat for the evening banquet, Bank of Colorado and Gary Krumm for saying an immediate “yes” to a request for wrestling mats, Kenny Owens and Holyoke Marketplace for the generous account set up for the Booster Club and to Phillip Beck for the time he’s given to selling from the Dragon store. Framed and matted photos of the girls’ and boys’ basketball teams were auctioned off during the program, to add to the Booster Club funds. Coaches for each sport recapped the team’s season, acknowledged supporters and awarded letters, participation certificates and special awards.Girls’ Swimming Coach Adria Colver, who works with the Holyoke swimmers on the Sterling team, praised the success of the HHS girls. She cited the achievement of senior LeAnne McWilliams, who served as a team captain for the SHS team; sophomores Briar Bergner and Pam McWilliams; and freshmen Amy Krogmeier and Jordan Zeiler. LeAnne McWilliams swam on two relays in the 4A State Meet, and Zeiler was a relay alternate.Cheerleading Jane Zink was proud to introduce the 2A State runner-up cheerleading squad. All eight lettered for the 2008-09 year. Senior Katie Hoffner served as team captain. Other cheerleaders were juniors Megan Colglazier, Nora Roth and Kendra Timm; sophomores Mallory Bennett and Sydney Nelson; and freshmen Kali Drees and Teanna Clark.Girls’ Basketball Girls’ basketball head coach Arlan Scholl cited the saying that sports build character. Taking it further, he said he thinks sports reveal character. Senior team members Phawn Carper, Katie Hoffner, Krista Schafer, Maddie Starkebaum and Flor Varela were presented letters, as well as basketball key chains. The four-year record for the HHS varsity is 78-23. Other letterwinners for the 2008-09 season included juniors Marissa Smith, Chasity Pelle, Molly Fricke, Shelby Beavers and Nora Roth; sophomores Heather Duester, Marci Vasa, Mallory Bennett and Kaylee Groshans; and freshman Laura Gerk. Starkebaum earned All-Conference honors, was invited to play in the Colorado Coaches of Girls’ Sports All-State game and was named to the Colorado Preps third-team all-staters. Hoffner and Smith both earned honorable mention all-conference honors, and Smith was honorable mention Colorado Preps all-state. Four foreign exchange students were recognized for their participation, and were given commemorataive Dragon coins. They are Vanessa Nishi, Elle Megaw, Eveliina Rantanen and Pilu Lund. Scholl was proud to announce the girls earned Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) Academic Team honors. The complete varsity team had a 3.60 GPA. Individuals making first-team academic honors with a 3.60 or higher GPA were Gerk, Bennett, Smith, Fricke, Pelle, Carper and Starkebaum. Earning honorable mention with 3.3-3.59 GPAs were Groshans and Vasa. Other varsity academic team members were Beavers, Roth and Hoffner. Scholl thanked assistant coaches Clint Goldenstein and Rebecca Helm. Goldenstein reported on the improvement seen in the JV squad over the course of the season. The girls’ JV team ended 12-5 overall and 10-2 in league.Boys’ Basketball Awards for the 2A State runner-up boys’ basketball team were presented by coaches John Baumgartner and Scott Dille. Letterwinners for the successful 25-2 season are seniors Austin Tharp, Michal Brown and Colby Wailes; juniors Kyle Carper, Ryan Baumgartner, Evan Swanson and Logan Krueger; sophomores Preston King, Brian DeBoer, Willie Greenman and Cody Fricke; and freshman Reid Baumgartner. The three seniors will all be playing in the NJC All-Star game. Tharp was also selected to play in the Coaches’ Association’s 2A All-State game June 13 in Greeley. Tharp and Carper were named to the Denver Post all-tournament team following the state tourney. Additionally, they were both named to the Colorado Preps all-state first team and earned Lower Platte Activities Association all-conference honors. Ryan Baumgartner earned honorable mention recognition in both the Colorado Preps all-state list and the LPAA all-conference picks. Participation awards were presented to exchange students Erik Scharin, Sheng Xuezhi and Tiago Cavalcanti; juniors Shaun Beck, and Brandon Oosthuysen; sophomore José Goytia; and freshmen Chris Bieber, Alex Quintana, Brent Vasa, Jeremy Loutensock and Austin Killin. Also recognized with participation awards were manager Tate Dille and statisticians Trevor Dalton, Tanner Smith and Logan Tharp. The HHS boys’ team earned CHSAA Team Academic honors with a 3.36 varsity GPA. Those earning first-team academic honors were Reid Baumgartner, DeBoer, Krueger, Ryan Baumgartner and Carper. Other varsity academic team members were King, Fricke, Greenman, Swanson, Brown, Tharp and Wailes. Coach Baumgartner noted defense was the team’s mainstay, and a number of top-10 team and individual CHSAA records will be called in for the record books. Coach Dille talked about the tremendous growth in this year’s C team, and noted the JV team played hard every second they were on the court.Wrestling More than half of the 2008-09 wrestling team members were unable to attend Sunday’s program, as they were competing in Kearney, Neb. Assistant coach Dusty McConnell reported on the team’s success for the year, with junior Chad Stroh earning a state championship for the second-year straight. Other state participants were freshman Mark Edmonds, third; sophomore Skyler Dittmer, third; junior Luke Garrett, fourth; sophomore Brian Strong, sixth; and freshman Broc Pelle, participant. All team members lettered for the season. In addition to the state qualifiers were seniors Brandon Price and Mitch Wittman; sophomores Casey Sage and Seth Baker; and freshman Parker Redfern. Edmonds earned CHSAA first-team academic honors, while Stroh was honorable mention.